


Picking on Clues

by Pinkgrasshopper



Category: Free!
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-25
Updated: 2014-06-25
Packaged: 2018-02-06 05:32:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1846153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinkgrasshopper/pseuds/Pinkgrasshopper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Honestly, I don’t understand why you’d even suggest sharing an umbrella when we each had one at our disposal!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Picking on Clues

"I told you this was a bad idea."

Had it been a contest (which it wasn’t, and that alone was surprising, considering all parties involved) , deciding which of them looked the most annoyed would have been a very close call, though Rei may have had a slight advantage over Rin this time. They each had their reasons, but the common denominator seemed to be the heavy downpour outside, highlighted not only by the sound of running water on the roof and the occasional howling wind, but, more importantly, by the wet trail the two left in their wake as they vied for shelter inside the redhead’s house— normally a common sight, but only when they had their swimsuits on.

"Would you shut up about it already?” Rin rolled his eyes in response, grocery bags neatly piled on the floor to free up his arms. He almost wanted to ask if Rei needed any help – the younger teen seemed to be having trouble deciding which was the more urgent task: closing the umbrella, slamming the door shut or drying off his glasses – but figured he was still too pissed off for peace offerings. “It would’ve worked just fine if you’d done as I said!"

"No, it would’ve been fine if _you_ had done as _I_ said! Honestly, I don’t understand why you’d even suggest sharing an umbrella when we each had one at our disposal!”

"I’ve told you why, haven’t I?" There was annoyance in Rin’s tone, but the hand rubbing the back of his neck betrayed his real feelings— he definitely couldn’t let himself get more obvious than this. "It’s easier to have one person carry the groceries while the other holds the umbrella than having to juggle them both at the same time!"

"Easier, perhaps, but hardly the more effective option, as it should be evidenced by the fact we’re both _soaking wet_ right now— and I can only hope we can still salvage our groceries or else we’ll have to order take out for dinner!”

"Hey, I did my part just fine, okay? It’s not my fault you can’t even hold the damn thing right!"

"Wha— I can’t hold it right?!” That line between Rei’s eyebrows was getting deeper and deeper with every passing minute; later on, Rin would think back of this moment and find his boyfriend’s frown endearing, but right now all he wanted was to punch it off his face. “That’s absurd— and it’s not my fault that it’s terribly windy outside, either! That doesn’t make the task easier at all! And besides, even considering less harsh weather conditions, the person holding the umbrella should at least be taller in order to have a better vantage point and any remote chance of making this work!"

"Yeah, well, we kinda have a tie on that front and I had to be quick and figure out the next best way to solve our dilemma, so being the stronger one, it was more reasonable for me to carry the-"

“ _Who says you’re the stronger one?!_ ”

“ _My biceps do!”_ Another impromptu contest, and the fastest to snap had been Rin this time. “Geez, are you gonna get grumpy over that, too? Fine, next time I’ll just leave you in charge of carrying the groceries, if you really want to prove yourself that badly!”

"I don’t need to prove myself— and that’s beside the point, too! Next time, we’ll do it my way and we’ll each hold our own umbrellas as we should’ve done all along!"

"Damn it, Rei, we’ve just been over the same height deal! If we each have an umbrella, they’re going to keep bumping into each other— or worse, they might even poke either of us in the eye or something! We’d have to walk, like, two arms’ length apart just to avoid all of that!"

That insinuation alone had gone beyond planned. _Take the hint, Rei,_ he would mentally chant to himself like a mantra. _Take the hint._

"And why do you make it sound like it’d be such a huge problem?"

He didn’t take the hint.

"Why do you make it sound like it _wouldn’t?!_ ”

The two immediately fell quiet, save for a muttered _fuck_ that managed to slip through Rin’s gritted teeth. Silence had come too late; he had already said more than he should.

It wasn’t until then, seeing how his boyfriend refused to look him in the eye, that Rei understood his annoyance went beyond being proven wrong and getting wet; really, he should have known better, because Rin is hardly ever that uncomplicated. There was always that added layer of ulterior motives and deeper-rooted feelings he didn’t quite put into words unless pressed for them, and more often than not, they seemed to stem from certain romantic notions and expectations that Rei could only meet through a conscious effort, never naturally. And he hated that, hated the inadequacy and the lack of logic alike, hated that he couldn’t pick on Rin’s unfathomable clues and rationalize those emotions and relate to them.

But most of all, he really, truly hated to make Rin so upset.  

"Rin-san… Was that why you…"

“ _Tsk._ Just… just forget about it, okay?” Try though he might, that shake of head wasn’t nearly as nonchalant as Rin had willed it to be, but hey, at least that sting in his eyes had been kept under control. “We’ll do it your way next time. Now let’s take care of dinner before these vegetables get all soggy.”

Somewhere in the back of his brain, Rei registered a silhouette similar to his own moving towards the bags and picking them up with little effort, but all he could _really_ see with painful clarity was the frown marring Rin’s features— beautiful, still, but nothing that compared to his smile. No, that was no good; he really couldn’t say he understood Rin’s emotional thought process half the time, but that was no excuse to letting him wallow in (incomprehensible, as far as Rei was concerned) misery, either. Who knows, maybe one day romance wouldn’t be an intricate web of planning ahead to him, but for now, his best efforts would have to suffice.

If there was one thing Rei could never be accused of, it was being called a slacker.

"Rin-san,” He began, middle finger and thumb pushing up his red frames in that ever so resolute fashion of his. “Please come with me."

"What-” He blinked when Rei took the bags from his arms, and yet again when the blue-haired boy led him to the front door by the hand. “Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing?! Oi, Rei!"

But Rin’s protests were soon muffled by a cold breeze and the sound of rain, louder and more intense as it openly whipped his face, and then replaced by a much warmer feeling: a set of lips pressed up against his. It was a little awkward (almost mechanical, really) at first, with Rei standing wordlessly before him under heavy downpour as though calculating the best moment, angle and position for kissing – and, knowing the nerd and his penchant for methodical approaches, he probably was – before finally making his move, but Rin appreciated the gesture, regardless.

And it didn’t take them long to find that perfect fit between their bodies; it never did. It was a veritable reminder of where they truly belonged, despite all odds.

"Not that I’m complaining," Rin breathed, his grin brushing against a more timid smile as he did. "But what was this all about?"

 _An apology_ , though he wouldn’t say it out loud. “An attempt at ending this argument for good.”

"And you needed to get us both even more wet to make a point?"

"No, I-" Rei squirmed, struggling with words for once. "I just thought I could… make it up to you. Isn’t this the kind of thing you enjoy…?"

There was gaping at first, then a smile, then finally a chuckle— and a pair of foreheads knocking together in the process, though Rin didn’t really mind it. Rei could see right through him when he put his mind to it, and even though his romantic incursions were still a far cry from perfect, they had a very charming ( _cute_ , actually, but they weren’t in a place to call each other that just yet) quality to them, and their very own way of sweeping Rin off his feet. It wasn’t all he wanted, but it was what he needed.

That, and a little bit of teasing, too.

"For future reference," He pulled away, arms still casually draped over Rei’s shoulders. “You did this wrong, too.”

“What—!”

"Yeah, I mean, you can’t just drag someone out to kiss them in the rain and call it romantic without any prior build up, you know? It doesn’t work that way."

Flustered, the younger swimmer parted his lips to protest, but his words died in his mouth upon catching sight of the smirk on Rin’s. It was plain to see he was no longer upset, and Rei could swear he heard a decidedly playful ring to his taunting, too. This much, he knew how to read.

“Will you… show me how to do it properly, then?”

Flashing him his biggest grin yet, Rin offered his response in the shape of another kiss. Rei had finally picked on his clues.


End file.
